Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-01-Speech-3-147"
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"en.20041201.14.3-147"2
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"Mr President, I have listened very closely to the issues raised and the views formulated during the present debate. I must say that it truly satisfies and heartens me to hear that the honourable Members not only share my acute concern on the subject of HIV/AIDS, but also my firm conviction that we need to make a full and effective contribution towards relieving the terrible hardship which is causing this epidemic, both in the rest of the world and in the European Union. We need in particular to understand the gravity of this problem today.
Allow me, however, to comment on certain issues raised by the honourable Members. First of all, I wish to emphasise and recapitulate that this is an issue which concerns us all. As the honourable Members have already mentioned, it is no longer an issue which only concerns vulnerable groups. On the contrary, it is something which concerns each and every one of us, witness the way in which it has now spread within families, affecting whole families and underage children, not only in the developing world but also within the European Union itself. I wish to assure you that the entire European Commission, all my colleagues and I are aware of this issue. We share the same concerns and we have set the same targets and I wish to assure you that there will be full coordination between me and all my colleagues in combating this problem, in drafting and implementing programmes in this direction.
As far as the question of research is concerned, may I remind you that, for the vaccine in particular, research into an HIV vaccine is a priority under the sixth framework programme for research and development and we expect up to EUR 130 million to be earmarked for research into an HIV vaccine. As far as drugs are concerned, may I remind you that I absolutely agree that there must be access to cheap drugs for everyone who has a problem with this disease, especially of course for poor countries and poor sections of the population who cannot meet these high treatment costs. May I also remind you that recently – and this is also mentioned in your resolution – the Commission adopted a proposal for the mandatory licensing of drugs for export to countries in need. This point is currently at the codecision stage and I trust that, judging from other cases in the past on highly sensitive issues, a study will be expedited rapidly so that this proposal can be completed as quickly as possible, and that this proposal will provide the possibility of access precisely to cheap drugs.
There is a huge need – and I repeat this – for the social stigma to be lifted. One of the serious problems which we face today with regard to the spread of this disease is that, because of this pressure, many people are suffering from or have been affected by the virus and not even they themselves know it. They do not undergo the necessary tests in fear of the stigma which there may be and, thus, they pass it on to their families. Special emphasis needs to be placed on enlightening people and on the fact that it must be understood that no social stigma should attach to a disease; on the contrary, it should be addressed in the same way as every other serious epidemic disease.
Finally, I should like to assure you once again that the European Commission is truly dedicated to these efforts to combat this scourge. I welcome and I wish to express my thanks to Parliament, on behalf also of the European Commission, for the active interest which we see. We trust that we shall be close and effective allies in this fight, so that this problem really is addressed efficiently. There is no room for complacency; we need to continue with the same intense effort, to show the same zeal in preventing and stopping the spread of this illness. At the same time, however, we need to contribute towards the relief of those who are already affected and to their treatment. I await and look forward with interest to a future constructive dialogue between the Commission and Parliament so that we can achieve our joint objectives."@en1
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